Studio Katsu

Studio Katsu treats his vendors poorly

This is to a highlight a common problem in the advertising and media. This person, a sole operator rpetending he's an agency doesn't pay the freelancers he works with. He pays a 50% upfront payment on a job, then asks for open files (editable files) and doesn't pay remainders on completion. Clients need to know how this person treats the freelance designers he works with and make a balanced decision on the ethics of working with him. I was tasked with designing a 55 page brochure. We discussed it and agreed to add an additional day to the timing to get it finished. I worked into the early hours and completed the brochure early, literally the early hours of the morning before the deadline day (deadline being end of play the following day). He approved the work and said he was happy with it. I was being pressurised at 1 in the morning by this guy so finished it off. He then asked me for open files in case he needed to make changes. Like a fool I trusted him. He then told me I wouldn't be paid the remainder because I had missed the deadline - even though we had arranged extra time, and not missed any deadline, and the entire thing was complete and he approved it. He tried to cover his tracks and blocked me from our shared mail server, but I still have all the mails where he gave me extra time (nothing about missing deadlines) and approved the work. This guy is potentially *********** other vendors and charging his clients a markup for it. He has some bigger clients and I'm certain they are not aware of such abuses. If you work with this guy you need to know how he operates and treats the people he works with.